George hiles



(No Model.)

G. HILES. GAR eoUPLINe.

Patented Nov. 30.1897.

NiTnD Y' STATES PATENT Enron.

GEORGE I-IILES, OF DESv MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALEX ADLFINGER, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-C'OUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,473, dated November 30, 1897.

` Application filed December 26, 1896. Serial No. 617,05 7. (No` model.)

\ invented a new and useful Automatic Oar- Ooupling', of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a car-coupling of the vertical-jaw type that will couple when brought into contact with a mating jaw when said mating jaw is in either its open or closed position.

A further object is to provide a coupling device that will transmit the strain from one coupler to the opposite end of the car or to the coupler on the opposite end of the car. Hence when a car is in a heavy train and a great strain is applied 4to the front coupler this strain will not be borne by the car, as in the usual form of coupler.

My invention consists in the construction of the coupler and in its arrangement and combination with the car, whereby two inating couplers may engage when their jaws are already in a closed position; and my invention consists, further, in the arrangement and combination of two couplers with a car,where by the strain is taken off of the car, 'as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Y.

Figure l illustrates two couplers connected as in practical use and also showing portions of a car with which the draw-bars are connected. Fig. 2 shows a top or plan view of two couplers in a locked position, a part of one of the draw-bars being broken away. Fig. 3 shows a top or plan view of a portion of one coupler, showing the jaw in an open position. Fig. 4 shows a transverse sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference-letter A is used to indicate a hollow draw-bar of ordinary construction, having a shoulder A2 at its top forward end to engage the dead-wood of a car, and in its front is a pivoted vertical jaw A3, of substantially the usual shape, preferably of the Miller type-that is, relatively long and narrow. For locking this j aw I have provided a vertical opening B to extend through the draw-bar and through the rear extension of the jaw whenin its closed position.

B2 indicates a pin designed to project through said openings and thereby hold the jaw in position. For raising this pin in order to uncouple I have provided a shaft BS, mounted on the car, and having a crank-arm of the car, and a crank-arm B5, having a chain B6, which is secured tothe pin. When the pin is raised, the jaw is free to swing open and the pin rests upon the top of the rear eX- tension. Then when the jaw is closed the pin drops through the opening and locks the Jaw.

At the rear end of the draw-bar is a straight bar O, which is passed through a horizontal slot in a cross-piece O2 of t-he car-frame. A compression-spring C3 encircles this bar O and engages the rear end of the draw-bar and also said cross-piece.

D indicates a flat cross-bar extended transversely through the rear end of the draw-bar, and D;a indicates rods attached to the ends of the said cross-bar and extended under the car to an adjoining draw-bar on the same car. Thus the two couplers on a car are connected and the strain applied to one coupler is transmitted to the other or else to the opposite end of the car, thus relieving the great strain to a car occasioned by a direct pull upon one end thereof when a heavy train of cars is attached to the other end of the car.

The outer end of the draw-bar is supported in a bracket D, which is fixed to the car and which will permit a lateral movement of the draw-bar to the extent of slightly more than half the width of the vertical jaw.

D2 indicates a vertical roller located at the side of the bracket.

D3 indicates a support formed on or fixed to the side of the draw-bar, and D4 indicates a leaf-spring Xed at one end to said support and bowed outwardly from the drawbar,with its central portion in engagement with said lroller and its free end in engagement with the side of the draw-bar. This spring serves B4, by which it may be turned froln the side Ioo In practical use, assuming that two mating couplers are brought into conta-ct and that the jaws of each are open, said jaws will each engage the rear extension of the mating coupler and thus close the jaws, whereupon they will be automatically locked by the dropping of the pin. It frequently happens, however, that one or both of the jaws are in a closed position. \Vhen this occurs, the cars are brought together as usual, and when the rounded heads of the jaws engage the entire draw-bar and jaw will be pressed laterally against the force of the springs, and as soon as the jaws have passed they will be forced by the springs into engagement and the couplers locked together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

An automatic car-coupler, comprising a draw-bar designed to be mounted beneath a car and capable of a limited lateral movement, a bracket for supporting its forward end and for limiting said lateral movement, an arm to project laterally from the draw-bar, a leafspring adjustably fixed thereto with its central portion in engagement with part of said brackets, and its forward end in engagement with the side of the draw-bar, a vertical jaw pivoted to the forward end of the draw-bar, and having its forward end approximately wedge-shaped so that when brought together with a mating jaw in a locked position the said wedge-shape projections will engage and cause the draw-bars to move laterally relative to each other and to assume a coupled position, a rear extension on the said jaw having a Vertical opening therein, and a couplingpin mounted in the draw-bar and arranged to automatically enter the opening in the Vertical jaw when the said rear extension is moved rearwardly, as required to lock the jaw, all arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth and for the purposes stated.

GEORGE IIILES.

Witnesses:

W. J. SANKEY, THOMAS G. ORwIc. 

